Great Couples Counselling in Abbotsford, BC. Therapy to heal relationships.

Couples counselling is highly rewarding work when both people are invested and willing to work. The work tends to lend itself not only to growth and healing in relationships but also in friendships, parenting and other relationships in peoples lives. On the flip side sometimes couples need support to know when it is time to identify behaviours in themselves or their partner which are incompatible with healthy relationships and to decide how best to proceed.

Embarking on a transformative journey with Eakin Counselling means recognizing and addressing the conflicts that often surface within relationships. I understand the complexities that can strain even the most loving connections. My relationship counseling services serve as companions on this journey, guiding individuals and couples through communication breakdowns, conflicts, and trust issues, ultimately fostering understanding and love. I believe that nurturing strong and healthy relationships is fundamental to a fulfilling life, and our approach to relationship, couples, and marriage counselling is rooted in deep insights, experience, and a profound understanding of the intricate dynamics

Couples counselling is an opportunity for two people to re-learn the art of communication and the art of love. There are several homework assignments that I use as well as cognitive strategies. I work with couples to find the value in the others actions: how do you know you are loved without hearing words. Over time there can be an erosion in respect. We work to knit the rift together again and rejoin in a united belief of their relationship.

Couples counselling can be sought at any stage of your relationship. By meeting you where you are in your journey together, I can offer several tools to enhance communication; cultivate understanding; increase capacity for connection and intimacy; adequately manage conflict and navigate boundaries. Through the use of several therapeutic interventions, I can work to uncover deep-rooted concerns that are affecting the quality of your relationship. And namely, offer appropriate, effective solutions. We can work collaboratively to resolve conflict, manage expectations and deal with various challenges including, but not limited to infidelity.

I understand that navigating relationship issues can be incredibly challenging, affecting both your emotional health and the quality of your partnership. In our couples counselling sessions, we'll establish a safe environment for open dialogue, employing the Gottman Method to identify and address the root causes of your conflicts. This evidence-based approach focuses on improving communication, building empathy, and fostering mutual respect. While the journey to a healthier relationship may take time and commitment from both sides, there's genuine hope for renewal and happiness. Together, we can work towards a more harmonious and fulfilling relationship.

I emphasize creating a safe and supportive space where partners can openly explore their relationship dynamics, improve communication, and cultivate deeper intimacy. Whether couples are facing conflicts, navigating transitions, or seeking to strengthen their bond, I employ evidence-based techniques tailored to their specific needs and goals. By fostering empathy, facilitating constructive dialogue, and promoting mutual understanding, partners gain insight into their relationship patterns and develop practical skills to navigate challenges collaboratively. Couples benefit from learning effective communication strategies, conflict resolution techniques, and tools to rebuild trust and intimacy.

“From the cradle to the grave, humans desire a certain someone who will look out for them, notice and value them...” -Susan Johnson Living alongside another human being can be difficult. Couples can fall into patterns - arguments that play out the same way - that leave each partner feeling misunderstood and alone. Counselling helps couples get "unstuck." It helps them unlearn familiar ways of reacting, and try out responding in new ways. Relationships shift in surprising ways when each partner is able to both speak to, and hear the other partner authentically.

Couples therapy with me offers a safe, respectful space to untangle conflict, rebuild connection and strengthen your relationship. Whether you're struggling with communication, trust, or feeling distant, we'll work together to understand what's beneath the surface and create new ways of relating. I support both partners with compassion and curiousity, helping you feel heard and valued. Through honest conversation and practical tools, you can move from stuck patterns toward deeper intimacy, understanding and shared growth -- one conversation at a time.

I work with couples using Gottman Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy and Attachment Therapy. I will help you identify your maladaptive patterns of behaviour and improve your communication skills. There is no shame in getting some coaching in how we connect with each other and how we can better meet each others needs. I use a strengths based approach to help you see the positives and remember why you fell in love.

I use the Gottman method to help couples work through their marital concerns to establish a friendship, nurture a stronger emotional bond, find shared meaning, and learn skills for conflict resolution. Couples typically engage in therapy to strengthen their connection, cope with crisis situations, and improve communication. I work with partners to instill a sense of understanding by breaking unhealthy patterns of communication and behaviours that may be showing up due to earlier experiences. Couples are provided with the opportunity to navigate through difficult relational dynamics to achieve happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction in their relationship.

Are you and your partner stuck in unsolvable arguments? Does one of you tend to ‘demand’ more while the other shuts down and withdraws? Are you feeling less connected and actually adding stress to each other’s lives instead of reducing it? While frustrating, these are perfectly normal patterns of partnership and there is hope. I would be glad to help you untangle the knots, learning to team up together instead of entering battles over who is right. In doing so, we will unpack past traumas and patterns of behaviour, learning to better communicate and to be safely vulnerable in a way that stands your relationship on solid ground.

I have been in practise for a long time and much of my training and experience is in couples counselling. It is a privilege and opportunity to work with couples and more often than not we see successful outcomes. There is never a more satisfying feeling than seeing couples making important decisions for their future while keeping a priority of each person's own emotional well being!